VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis is calling for world governments to take measures to protect Christians driven from their villages in northern Iraq and provide them with humanitarian aid.

The pope's second appeal in as many weeks came Thursday as Iraqi militants from the Islamic State group overran a cluster of predominantly Christian villages alongside the country's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, sending tens of thousands of civilians and Kurdish fighters fleeing.

In a statement, Francis appealed to the international community to "put an end to the humanitarian drama underway, adopt measures to protect those who are threatened by violence and assure them necessary aid, especially urgent for those who are homeless and depend on the solidarity of others."

Now-emptied Christian communities in the region date from the first centuries of Christianity.

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Syria Conflict Destroys Religious Sites And Icons

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A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows pieces of a desecrated icon at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows the partially destroyed minaret of the Sunni Grand mosque in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows Saint Elie Church that was damaged during the clashes between Syrian regime forces and rebels fighters in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows the dome of Saint Elie Church that was damaged during the clashes between Syrian regime forces and rebels fighters in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows a desecrated icon partially burnt at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows desecrated icons partially burnt at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows the inside of the Sunni Grand mosque that was damaged during clashes between regime forces and rebel fighters in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows a desecreted Jesus' crucifixion canvas at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows a desecrated icon of Jesus' Crucifixion at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows the dome of Saint Elie Church that was damaged during the clashes between Syrian regime forces and rebels fighters in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

Syrian men ride a motobike past the remain of a building on August 1, 2013 in front of Saint Elie Church that was damaged during the clashes between Syrian regime forces and rebels fighters in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows a graffiti reading in Arabic 'The religion of our Master Mohammed will prevail over tyrants' near an icon displayed at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows a vandalized statue displayed at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows Saint Elie Church that was damaged during the clashes between Syrian regime forces and rebels fighters in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows a desecrated canvas displayed at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows a desecrated canvas displayed at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.

A picture taken on August 1, 2013 shows desecrated icons partially burnt at Saint Elie Church in the city of Qusayr, in Syria's central Homs province.